Hey, lovely.
First of all, I’d like to thank EVERYONE who follows my blog and is a part of this conscious eating movement. I’m very grateful to report that over the past couple of weeks, traffic has skyrocketed and more and more people are signing up to receive healthy, yummy recipes to their email inboxes. (If you haven’t done this, sign up above or below!)
I started blogging healthy recipes at age 14 (oh my goodness, a decade ago!) and it’s taken time for my efforts to be seen and appreciated. Now that recipes I’m creating are inspiring people to cook healthfully at home, my heart is overflowing with gratitude and love.
Most importantly, it makes me happy that YOU are reading this content and are utilizing the free resources to invest in your own health. Yay!
Anyhoo, today I’d like to share a Paleo gummy bear recipe which is so simple to make and actually has numerous health benefits.
UPDATE: In case you don’t know, I recently obtained a second job at Reef Dispensaries in Las Vegas, Nevada, working/learning in the edibles kitchen. Right now I’m back and forth between packaging and creating the goodies, but my goal is to learn as much as possible so I can infuse plant-based creations and offer them to medical patients in the future. You can learn more/visit that project here. That said, I’m still creating non-infused versions of these yummy treats for Bloom for Life, as not everyone is peachy with cannabis — and that’s understandable.
I really wanted to blog this gummy recipe because, yes, they’re so easy to make. But they also are quite healthy! The ingredient breakdown follows:
Tart Cherry Juice (no sugar added): this drink helps post-workout recovery because it is high in potassium, fights inflammation and arthritis pain due to its high antioxidant content, reduces swelling, boosts the immune systems (combats sickness), regulates metabolism and helps fight fat due to a flavonoid called anthocyanins, and even blocks cancer growth, according to a 2003 study. Learn more here.
Gelatin: though I would prefer to make vegan gummies because that is what I’m most comfortable with, the texture is kind of weird using the seaweed agar agar. Seriously, they tasted like bouncy balls. It’s because of this I made a paleo version.
Because gelatin, a protein derived from collagen, is full of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), it improves gut health and digestion, protects joints and lowers join pain, improves quality of sleep, lifts one’s mood and improves cognitive abilities, improves the health of skin, hair and nails, helps you maintain strong bones, and helps you feel full (thus, reducing appetite). Learn more.
Lime Juice: This astringent citrus fruit is high in vitamin C, and is good for weight loss, benefits skin and eye health, improves digestion, helps move the lymphatic system (the “sewer system” of the body), aids respiratory and urinary disorders, offers relief of peptic ulcers, gout, constipation and gum wounds.
Raw Honey: This isn’t vegan, either, but has medicinal benefits. Raw honey, when sourced locally and is unprocessed, is a great source of antioxidants, therefore, helps protect the body from free radical damage and reverses aging. Studies also show that polyphenols in honey may play a role in preventing heart disease. Raw honey is anti fungal and antibacterial, helps heal wounds (Manuka is best for this purpose), is filled with phytonutrients and improves digestion.
All four of these ingredients make up these paleo gummies, so you can see why I am so excited they turned out great.
Healthy Cherry-Lime Gummy “Candies” [Paleo, GF, DF]
Serving Size: 16 servings
Preparation Time: 5 minutes + 1-2 hour wait time
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup 100% organic tart cherry juice
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice, strained
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 3 Tbsp Grass Fed gelatin (I used this version)
Directions:
- In a saucepan, heat the juices over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting and whisk in the honey until fully dissolved.
- Now, whisk in 1 tbsp at a time of the gelatin, adding another only after the others dissolve. Continue to stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved, about 10 mins.
- Once you have no lumps, just liquid*, remove from heat and carefully transfer the liquid into your gummy molds (sometimes a dropper is provided with the molds, which is helpful.) If you don’t have molds, you can use a mini muffin pan lined with mini liners, or a very lightly greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours depending on the size of your gummies) then pop out and enjoy! If you used a baking dish, you can cut into squares or use cookie cutters.
- I stored mine in the refrigerator, but these will remain solid at room temp. Enjoy!
Enjoy this recipe! I know we did.
If you’re interested in learning more about cannabis cooking for medicinal purposes, visit my new blog My Stoned Kitchen.
Lead image via Bakerita
